Tag Archives: preparation

Keep Tuning Your Message

Posted on by
Reply

1839 Macmillen

OFTEN when I coach sales teams I emphasize the importance of incorporating a theme in a presentation so that your audience connects with your message and they remember you.

Today, audiences are inundated with presentations, demonstrations which tend to blur together and speakers begin to all sound the same. Yes, I know your software, your solution, is unique which is exactly what your competition tells audiences too.

In a previous post I discussed how essential it is to have a theme in order to make yourselves memorable. It’s simple, easy and extremely impactful. And it has been proven to contribute to the narrow margin of winning opportunities. I guarantee you and your audience will enjoy it!

Sometimes your theme won’t connect with your audience. What do you do? Hone your message? Abandon? Give up? Hone your message?

MOMENTUM

I recently visited four cities in the past three weeks speaking to over 200 business owners, salespeople, consultants and developers.

Kicking off our first event in New York City I led with a PowerPoint slide,

P = m v

in large, bold font on a white background. This is the formula for momentum. Momentum of a particle equals mass * velocity and it become the theme for my presentation. Throughout my presentation I referred to momentum frequently but the theme didn’t connect with the audience as I had planned. I even found myself jokingly saying “we have a lot of P right now.”

Amateur-hour, right?

Returning home I recognized my theme was satisfactory but the delivery needed improvement. A great idea or theme needs to be tested. Although I practiced my delivery the entire week leading up to the first event, the live session in New York became a beta for subsequent events.

The following week in Chicago I arrived with cycling gloves, nutrition bars titled “Momentum Bars” (a great give-away) and a cow bell. This time while the formula was on the screen, I provided three examples of momentum:

  1. What momentum means to avid cyclists and how early season training can impact momentum on uphill climbs and downhill descents.
  2. What momentum means as a Cubs fan. The evening before our event I attended a game at Wrigley Field and I marveled at the Cubbies 1-game winning streak.
  3. What momentum means as a Microsoft seller supported by the positive momentum of our respective businesses.

Fine tuning my original theme made an impact on the audience. There was a definite buzz in the room.

Can I attribute the excitement solely to my refinement?

No, but it certainly provided a connection to my audience. As a result co-presenters elevated their presentation delivery often referring to the theme, we delivered a consistent message as a team and I know my audiences will remember P = m v.

MOMENTUM

 

Touch My Computer and I Break-a Yo Face

Posted on by
Reply

Powerful Laptop Computer

Why do people (most notably co-workers and room proctors) feel compelled to approach your computer moments before you go live with a presentation?

Guard your computer at all times, especially before you “go live.”

One of my earliest memories presenting software to a large audience was early 2001. Back then, software virtualization was rudimentary. Demo environments, built on external hard drives, were swapped for the internal hard drive. Boot time spanned approximately 20-30 minutes and you needed to provide the machine with ample time to “warm up”. The conference, comprised of manufacturers and accountants, I was paired with a sales rep on our team who was known for his theatrical antics. Moments before we are set to begin, unbeknownst to me, he decides to make a few changes to the PowerPoint. Not a good idea. My laptop shuts down and now we have 20 minutes to fill with his standup routine.

With less than one week before I present at our annual conference, I recall last year at the same event where I narrowly escaped a similar plight when a room proctor decided my resolution settings weren’t optimal. Apparently he was distraught with the three inches of black space around the edges of the 60 x 60 screen. Fortunately for both of us, his face was untouched and so was my laptop.

Be on your guard at all times. Control your destiny and don’t allow others to impact the great presentation you planned.

Even the Experts Need to Practice

Posted on by
Reply

Stop yourself from “eastwooding”

Imagine … you are an 82-year old actor accustomed to performing in front of live audiences your entire professional career. Your experiences aren’t limited to acting but you’ve also acheived elite status as an award-winning director. Two weeks ago most of us witnessed what happens when you don’t prepare for a presentation and decide to “wing it”.

Over the weekend, in an interview with a local newspaper, Mr. Eastwood recanted the events leading up to his performance at the Republic National Convention  – http://usat.ly/QrXJt1.

Now, I’m fairly confident no one following my blog, or any of our peers in the channel, can hold a candle to Mr. Eastwood’s extensive public speaking resume. However, even with his storied career his actions clearly prove you MUST always practice, practice, practice. It is so essential to be impeccable with your words and test your ideas/thoughts before you go live.

Even if, as Mr Eastwood learned, you’ve been performing presentations for years you still need at least one dry run. Take time to walk through your presentation with a co-worker, a friend or family and I guarantee you will be rewarded by your efforts.

Talk the Talk

Posted on by
Reply

One of the most critical steps during any ERP or CRM sales cycle is the research you perform prior to the initial contact with a prospect. Good pre-discovery can significantly streamline a sales cycle while contributing to building your relationship as a trusted advisor.

Sales teams who dedicate at least 30 – 60 minutes to learn about an industry they aren’t intimately familiar with, often put themselves in a strategic advantage over the other competitive “horizontal” sellers.

The reason is, individuals and companies alike, prefer to invest in experts. It’s a fact. Look at your own personal, consumer buying patterns. When given a choice between saving a few dollars to engage with a business who may understand your needs versus spending a premium to invest in a product and service that understand exactly your specific need. The majority of the time people lean towards the premium option.

Before your initial call you should know – What are the key metrics in the industry? What are the top three priorities for the CFO? What current trends and business opportunities drive the prospect’s industry?

How do you get started? In addition to the traditional research avenues – a company website, Bing or Google, LinkedIn, etc. there are several industry tools to aid you in becoming proficient and speaking your prospect’s “language”.

Three tools I rely on and recommend to partners, in order of preference:

Prior to my post I contacted all three organizations to learn about discounts available to Microsoft partners. While they exist, the reps weren’t forthcoming on what discounts they provide to Microsoft partners. However, when you call remind them you are a MSFT partner and learn more.

Opening Day in the Mile High City

Posted on by
Reply

LAST Monday afternoon was opening day for the Colorado Rockies. It was a spectacular day and attending the home opener (or at least soaking up the downtown festivities) has become a rite of passage in the mile high city.

About PREPARATIONS

During the game I began thinking about spring training. Spring training is the preparatory period leading into the baseball season. It’s about practicing the common tasks these professionals will execute every day for the next 5 – 6  months. Even the veteran players who have been playing for 10+ seasons approach spring training as if this were their rookie season. Fielding ground balls, catching fly balls and playing a game of pepper.

About ORGANIZATION

It’s also fascinating to consider the effort and details a manager puts forth to compile a roster for each individual game. 162 games over the next several months. Every morning, before game time they sit at their desk to organize their thoughts and ideas on how to tackle the upcoming opponent. “Who is our starting pitcher?”, “Who will bat 3rd?” … yadda yadda yadda

Today’s Tip

Today’s tip is about preparation and organization. I consider every one of you successful and seasoned professionals. You’ve been selling software and conducting discovery calls for many, many years.

But … do you approach each opportunity uniquely as if you were the head coach of your favorite baseball team? Before every call do you plan out your questions and strategy?

For example, how are your discovery questions organized for the prospect and their industry? Do you begin your discovery with a blank sheet of paper or do you have a “roster” of questions already prepared prior to your first call.

During the discovery workshops we provide organizational tools to help you capture key, pertinent information for each opportunity. It’s an extremely efficient way to get organized. Also, having your questions pre-written saves time during note taking and improves listening.

Whether you leverage the tools provided during the workshop or you have your own pre-defined question sheet. Use it. It’s a simple way to prepare and get organized.

Good luck during the remainder of the quarter and win one for the gipper.